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Article #4963

AIDS disk analogies (PC)

#4963
From: MGB
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1989 19:07
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2114 bytes
In reading the analogies pertaining to the AIDS Virus, I could not
help but be struck by some parallels between the computer virus and
the actual virus.  First, like AIDS, some people are struck down very
quickly while for others there is a long incubation process.  Second,
once you find out that you have it, you must be prepared to spend
large sums of money to combat it on a recurring basis.  Third, lots of
warnings are given about the virus, what will happen if you utilize
the disk (engage in risk behavior) but many people ignore these
warnings and are thus infected.  Fourth, the Virus comes from Africa,
the probable birthplace of the actual AIDS virus. Fifth, there is no
guarantee that paying your money will produce a cure, or that one cure
actually exists (tailoring vaccine to specific machines/people).
Sixth, the hysteria surrounding the VIRUS is both making people more
aware of viruses in general and prompting much research into finding a
way to decrypt the initiating factor.  Seventh, there seems to be more
we don't know about the Virus than we do know.  The initial effects
have been diagnosed and a remedy for the symptoms found but long term
effects are still unknown.

Perhaps I am seeing too much in this, but given the enormous outlay of
both time, energy and money that someone went through; perhaps the
perpetrators of this virus are attempting to give us all a non-lethal
lesson as to what the real virus AIDS is all about.  I am not
justifying their actions but I just can't help but wonder if that
lesson is what all this is all about.  It would, to me, clarify the
use of AIDS Information as the method of transmission.

Comments, anyone
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From: MGB@SLACVM.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: AIDS disk analogies (PC)
Message-ID: <0003.8912201621.AA09547@ge.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 19 Dec 89 19:07:00 GMT
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